1 The Word of Jehovah which was to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah:
2 Gathering I will completely gather away all from on the face of the land, a statement of Jehovah.
3 Gathering I will gather away man and beast: I will gather away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks, even the wicked ones. And I will cut off man from the face of the land, a statement of Jehovah.
4 I will also stretch out My hand on Judah and on all those dwelling in Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, the name of the idol-priests, with the priests;
5 and those bowing to the host of the heavens on the housetops; and those bowing, swearing to Jehovah, and swearing by Malcham,
6 and those drawing back from after Jehovah, and who have not sought Jehovah, and not asked of Him.
7 Be silent before the face of the Lord Jehovah, for the day of Jehovah is near. For Jehovah has appointed a sacrifice; He has consecrated ones He called.
8 And it shall be in the day of the sacrifice of Jehovah, I will call to account on the rulers and on the king's sons, and all those clothed in foreign clothing.
9 And I will call to account all those leaping on the threshold in that day, who are filling the houses of their masters with violence and deceit.
10 And it shall be in that day, a statement of Jehovah, the sound of a cry from the Fish Gate, and a howling from the Second, and a great breaking from the hills.
11 Howl, those living in Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan have perished; all those laden with silver are cut off.
12 And it shall be in that time, I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and call to account the men being settled on their lees; who say in their heart, Jehovah will not do good, and not will He do evil.
13 And their wealth shall become a prize, and their houses a desolation. And they shall build houses, but not live there. And they shall plant vineyards, but not drink their wine.
14 The great day of Jehovah is near; it is near and hurrying greatly, the sound of the day of Jehovah. The mighty man shall cry out bitterly there.
15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and pressure, a day of waste and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 a day of the rams` horn and alarm against the fortified cities, and against the high towers.
17 And I will bring distress to men, and they shall walk like the blind men, because they have sinned against Jehovah. And their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.
18 Also their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of Jehovah. But all the earth shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy. For He shall make a complete, yea, a speedy end of all those living on the land.
1 Gather yourselves, even gather, O nation not being longed for;
2 before the birth of the decree, the day shall pass like the chaff, yet not before the heat of the anger of Jehovah comes on you, yet not before the day of the anger of Jehovah comes on you.
3 Seek Jehovah, all the humble ones of the earth who have done His judgment; seek righteousness; seek meekness. It may be you shall be hidden in the day of the anger of Jehovah.
4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They shall drive Ashdod out at the noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
5 Woe to those living on the seacoast, the nation of the Cherethites! The Word of Jehovah is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines; I will cause you to perish, so as not one shall be living in it.
6 And the seacoast shall be pastures, meadows for feeding, and folds for the flock.
7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed on them. In the houses of Ashkelon, they shall lie down in the evening, for Jehovah their God shall care for them and turn back their captivity.
8 I have heard the scorn of Moab, and the revilings of the sons of Ammon, with which they have cursed My people and have magnified themselves on their border.
9 Therefore, as I live, a statement of Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and a pit of salt, and a ruin to forever. The remnant of My people shall plunder them, and the rest of the nation shall possess them.
10 This shall be to them for their pride, because they have cursed and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of Hosts.
11 Jehovah will be frightening to them, for He will make lean all the gods of the earth; each man from his place, and all the isles of the nations will bow to Him.
12 You also, O Ethiopians, they are pierced by My sword.
13 And He will stretch out His hand against the north, and make perish Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, dry like the desert.
14 And flocks shall lie down in her midst; every beast of a nation; both the pelican and the bittern shall lodge in the capitals of its pillar. A voice shall sing at the window; ruin shall be at the doorsill; for He will bare the cedar work.
15 This is the joyful city, dwelling confidently, the one saying in her heart, I am, and none other still is. How she has become a ruin, a resting place for animals! Everyone who passes near her shall hiss; he shall shake his hand!
1 Woe to her rebelling and being defiled, to the oppressing city!
2 She did not listen to the voice; she did not receive correction; she did not trust in Jehovah; she did not draw near to her God.
3 Her rulers within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they do not gnaw bones for the morning.
4 Her prophets are proud, men of deceit; her priests have polluted the sanctuary; they have done violence to the Law.
5 Jehovah, the righteous One is in her midst; He will not do injustice. Morning by morning He gives His judgment to the light; He does not fail, but the unjust one knows no shame.
6 I have cut off nations; their towers are ruined. I made their streets waste, so that none passes by. Their cities are laid waste, that there is not a man, from there being not one living there.
7 I said, Surely you will fear Me; you will receive correction; then her dwelling shall not be cut off, all that I appointed for her. But they rose up early; they corrupted all their doings.
8 Therefore, wait for Me, a statement of Jehovah, for the day I rise up to the prey. For My judgment is to gather the nations, for Me to assemble the kingdoms, to pour My fury out on them, all the heat of My anger. For all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.
9 For then I will turn a clear lip to the peoples, to call all of them by the name of Jehovah, to serve Him with one shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, My worshipers, the daughter of My scattered ones, shall bring My food offering.
11 In that day you shall not be ashamed from all your doings in which you have transgressed against Me. For then I will take away those who rejoice in your pride out of your midst, and you shall not again be exalted any more in My holy mountain.
12 I will also leave a poor and weak people in your midst, and they shall trust in the name of Jehovah.
13 The remnant of Israel shall not do injustice, and not speak lies. And a deceitful tongue shall not be found in their mouth. For they shall feed and lie down, and no one is terrifying them.
14 Shout for joy, daughter of Zion; shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all the heart, daughter of Jerusalem!
15 Jehovah has turned aside your judgments; He has turned back your enemy. Jehovah, the King of Israel, is in your midst; you shall not fear evil any more.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear not! Zion, do not let your hands droop.
17 Jehovah your God is a mighty One in your midst; He will save. He will rejoice over you with joy; He is silent in His love. He rejoices over you with a joyful shout.
18 I will gather the ones afflicted from the appointed place; they were from you, a lifting up of reproach over her.
19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all those afflicting you. And I will save her who is lame, and gather her being thrust out. And I will give them for a praise and fo a name in all the land of their shame.
20 In that time I will bring you, even in the time I gather you. For I will give you for a name and for a praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, says Jehovah. The Book of